SAN DIEGO (Border Report) — The week leading up to the Easter holiday is traditionally the busiest time of the year for travel in Mexico, and many have been visiting the Tijuana coastline and bathing in the ocean in spite of warnings against it.
Mexico’s Federal Commission for the Prevention of Sanitary Risks (COFEPRIS) says the latest test results show high bacteria in the ocean and is warning people to avoid going in the water or near it.
Earlier this week, officials ordered several beaches, including those in Tijuana, closed “for the sake of public safety and health,” saying major portions of the coastline are not suitable for recreational uses.
“Access to beaches in the city of Tijuana is sealed off and restricted during Holy Week until further notice,” read a news release issued by COFEPRIS.
Despite the warnings, many beachgoers are still laying out their towels and umbrellas on the sand, ignoring precautions.
Some can be seen with nets and fishing poles, an activity that is highly discouraged by health officials, as the fish can also carry bacteria and is not suitable for consumption.
According to a reporter from the El Sol Newspaper in Tijuana, only one sign has been posted on the beach directly south of the border barrier telling visitors the coastline is temporarily closed.
Pablo Moreno, of Las Vegas, Nevada, said he and his family went to the beach to enjoy the sun and warmer temperatures.
“I didn’t know it was closed or contaminated, the water looks very clear,” Moreno said.
Others also found it hard to believe there was a need to restrict access.
“It’s weird the beach is closed, the water looks clean,” said Héctor Becerra, a vendor in the area. “There are times it does look murky and it stinks, but not now, you even see dolphins swimming by.”
Environmentalists and health professionals warn contact with the water or even the wet sand can lead to gastrointestinal infections and skin rashes.
The bacteria is the result of millions of gallons of untreated sewage flowing from Tijuana via the Tijuana River Valley and from a broken-down treatment plant about five miles south of the border.
Legally, people could be cited for ignoring the warnings, but the city of Tijuana says it doesn’t have the personnel for enforcement and that “it leaves it up to the public to do the right thing and take their own precautions.”
Beaches just north of the border in cities like Imperial Beach are also closed due to the contamination.
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